Kiwi buggy business booms in Europe

Award-winning juvenile products company, phil&teds, is capitalising on recent European success; growing its team on the ground and purchasing commercial property in Spain.

Company chief executive, Campbell Gower, says “the past three years have shown us that with the right product investment and retail partnerships, significant change can occur.”

From 2013 to 2015, phil&teds’ brand Mountain Buggy achieved an average annual growth rate of 22% across current European markets. Since 2013, the brand’s best selling buggies, duet and nano, increased average annual unit sales by 40%.

“Before its acquisition, Mountain Buggy’s products were disappearing from European stores. Under phil&teds’ ownership, it’s now a leading juvenile brand, regularly breaking its own records and receiving global acclaim.”

He says furthermore, the phil&teds brand has launched several successful new products this year, building on its iconic and original inline platform.

Last year, the company was awarded three internationally recognised Red Dot design awards across both brands. The German contest is one of the most renowned design competitions in the world.

Mr Gower says the company is well placed to prosper further in European markets with the purchase of a central office space in downtown Malaga, Spain.

“It was always our plan to build a sales, marketing and service hub in this part of the world. With multiple new roles to fill to resource our growth, we aim for a stronger presence on the ground and in the market. This perfectly positions our company to increase its European market share, and drive growth for the business.

“It’s very cool - and a little bit weird for a boy from Te Awamutu - to go there and hear every kind of language spoken servicing our customers in Europe.”

The new office will include a training facility where customers can interact with sales staff and products from both brands.

“Being on the edge of the world with a tiny local market emphasises the need to have regional offices. Hiring locals, makes us local and we also gain important insights into what works, what’s the same and what’s different - on a global scale.”

In September, the company showcased its award-winning brands alongside world leading trade fair, Kind + Jugend. Throughout the three day event, the company secured orders in excess of NZD 1.5 million.

Over 22,000 trade visitors from 112 countries journeyed to Germany to view new and innovative kids products, alongside existing line ups. Mr Gower says this year’s event was the most successful to date.

“It’s exciting. We’re a small company based out of Wellington, New Zealand trying to conquer the world. Our new hub in Spain can only fuel that.”